Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens was the leader of the Republican party at the time and also a Representative for Pennsylvania. Stevens wrote much about the financial legislation that had funded the American Civil War, and his work for the Freedman had gone unappreciated until the rise of neo-abolitionist schools during the 1950’s. Stevens refused to sign the new state constitution of 1838 because it did not grant African American people the right to vote.
“The future condition of the conquered power depends on the will of the conqueror.”